MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina reschedules Illex squid season timing, catches begin 9th January 2026

The squid calendar approved, has been tiered as defined by the technical report from INIDEP (Argentina’s Fisheries Research Institute)

Argentina’s jigger lobby has managed to anticipate the beginning of the squid season, advancing the date to next 9 January. According to reports from Mar del Plata, the anticipation of the Argentine squid season 2026 was again adjusted following a letter sent by the Chamber of Argentine Jiggers, CAPA, requesting a review of the Federal Fisheries Council, CFP, Act 33/2025 linked to the beginning of operations south of South latitude parallel 44.

In the CAPA presentation from 11 December the chamber requested to advance the opening date of the squid season for the rest of the jigger fleet that had not previously operated south of parallel 49. In the original act, this segment was allowed to begin on 12 January 2026.

Following consideration, CFP, unanimously decided to partially modify the decision and establish that the opening for the catch of Illex argentines, south of parallel 44 South for the rest of the fleet to become effective from zero hour 9 January 2026.

This means that the definitive scheme for the 2026 squid season is established as follows,

From January 2nd between parallels 49 and 52 South

From January 7th, south of parallel 44 South, exclusively for vessels that have operated to the south of parallel 49 South, during at least three fishing days.

From 9 January, south of parallel 44 South, for the rest of the jigger fleet

The modification introduces a punctual adjustment for the calendar originally approved, keeping the scheme tiered as defined by the technical report from INIDEP (Argentina’s Fisheries Research Institute), but advancing the beginning date for a sector of the fleet that was left with a later authorization.

Parallel to allowing the beginning of the Illex squid season, the union of Maritime Workers, SOMU, on December 19th signed an agreement, by which the percentage of catches in their salaries was updated, considered a milestone in industrial relations for the start of the jiggers’ activities.

However on the political side of the decision, Argentine sources indicate the advance of the Illex season is geared to anticipate foreign fleets operating in the so called mile 201, on the external fringe of Argentina’s EEZ, and those operating with “British usurped Malvinas’ licenses”.